Indonesia take on the visitors Saudi Arabia in the round 1 match of fourth qualification stage for World Cup 2026 in Asia. The match will be played on Wednesday, October 3st at King Abdullah Sports City (Jeddah).
Indonesia made their World Cup debut back in 1938 — though at the time they played under the name Dutch East Indies. Since then, they have never managed to repeat that feat. Even in the AFC Asian Cup, under their current name, Indonesia participated in four consecutive tournaments between 1996 and 2007. However, both before and after that period, their attempts to qualify were unsuccessful. Only at the most recent continental championship did they finally return — and this time, for the first time in their modern history, they advanced to the knockout stage. They then extended their fairytale run with a surprisingly strong qualification campaign. No one seriously expected automatic qualification, even with Patrick Kluivert at the helm, but 12 points secured a solid fourth-place finish and guaranteed further participation. Recently, Indonesia have shown notable improvement in team chemistry and tactical organization, with several young players from European clubs stepping up. They’ve lost only once in their last six matches and look far more confident at home, where the atmosphere always gives them an extra boost.
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Saudi Arabia can thank the format change for staying in the race. The Green Falcons returned to the World Cup in 2018 and also played in Qatar. On both occasions, they managed to win matches but still failed to escape their groups. Seeking further progress, the federation appointed Roberto Mancini as head coach — but the Euro 2020 winner struggled badly, both in the Asian Cup and in qualifying. As a result, Hervé Renard was brought back, the man who had previously enjoyed far more success with the national team. However, his second spell has been less impressive so far. Saudi Arabia couldn’t catch Australia, finishing third in their group — just one point ahead of Indonesia, with 13 to 12. Still, they gained valuable international experience over the summer by reaching the knockout rounds of the CONCACAF Gold Cup after wins over Haiti and a draw with Trinidad and Tobago, before falling to eventual champions Mexico. That experience should serve them well now, with more pressure-filled fixtures ahead. Despite their inconsistency, the Saudis still boast a strong core of experienced players such as Salem Al-Dawsari and Firas Al-Buraikan. Their technical superiority and depth should help them impose control early, especially if they convert their scoring chances efficiently.
Saudi Arabia have historically dominated this matchup, winning 5 of the 6 encounters and drawing once. However, in the current qualifying cycle, Indonesia surprisingly managed to take 4 out of 6 points from the regional powerhouse. The visitors are clearly stronger and should win by more than a single goal. We recommend backing Saudi Arabia with a “-1.0 goals” handicap.
Prediction for the match: Saudi Arabia to win with -1.0 handicap.
